Friends and Growth

I guess everyone has that one childhood friend/best friend from their school days whom they seem to have known forever.

This just dawn on me recently after I made a journey 8937 miles from Accra to Philidelphia to visit that one “best friend” of mine. We met exactly 10 years ago in the university. I think it’s been so long that I almost forgot what exact reasons I love her so much.

The thing is, as time goes on as you grow, you depart or should I say you divert. 10 years from now, 20 years from now, you might not feel the same way about your best friend today the same way you did now. (I presume this theory could apply to a marriage partner, but that is another area, we don’t have 10 hours time to go there).

At this point when the relationship seems almost nonexistent, you need to be in a continuous habit of loving each other and the habit how to make up quickly when you fight with each other.

Since my friend Veronica left Hong Kong for the States, it’s become a tradition for us to meet at least once a year. Truth is every time we meet, she scolds me from head to toe on various points during our hang out (I know right? Can you believe that? Scolding me? My job duties are basically built based on scolding, that is my day-to-day skill set).

For example, this time, even before we met in person, while I am still on the phone right after landing in JFK, the fight started. What I have also learnt over the years, is to smell the fire early enough and quickly admit my mistake whatever way she believes it is and move on fresh as swift as possible to return to the joyful ambiance.

You would be so surprised to know that I almost never initiate a fight in private life if you know me an aggressive, principled and strict person as well tough negotiator when it comes to work. I almost never initiate a fight with any friend of mine, when there is one, I almost always give in so quickly and so comprehensively.

The point is, the relationship with someone, a friend, a partner, a business partner, might take the certain context, at a particular time and within a certain environment. This spark in your relationship however has multiple, conditions. We usually walk away from old friends or partners because we feel don’t click as much as we used to. There is also the fact that we feel we can make up with the person if things go wrong.

Ms. Zoyo Zhao has over 10 years in the creation and management of international companies worldwide, she continues to penetrate places that seem almost impossible.